Keeping Up With the Clutter

Now that you’ve cleared all of the clutter from every room and gua in your house, how will you keep up with the clutter that’s sure to accumulate in the closets and corners or on the desktops and countertops? You’ll need to implement a system and create a schedule to follow. In this final installment of the series on clutter, I’ll provide guidance on the ongoing process of keeping your space clutter-free.

As a child, my mom would have my sister and I clean out our “junk drawer” on a regular basis. Since we moved every few years, getting rid of stuff we longer needed was built in to our lifestyle. Back then, we would sell the things we didn’t plan to pack at yard sales on the weekends.

As a feng shui consultant, I know the importance of keeping my home free from clutter. Cleaning, energy cleansing, clearing clutter and having a neat and tidy, well-kept and organized space is just part of my daily life. While I don’t consider myself a minimalist, many people who might have houses, garages and storage units full of stuff might. I have just what I need and nothing more or less.

As a mom, I taught my children how to go through their things and let go of whatever they didn’t use or need anymore. As teens and young adults they declutter naturally as needed. And as owners of 160 sq ft. Incredible Tiny Homes, they’re very thoughtful about what they bring into their small living space. 

As a digital nomad, I’ve moved three times in the past decade with just what would fit inside a few checked bags. I sell what I can and give away everything else before packing my luggage with just the essentials to life and my business and a few treasured personal items. And every time I move, I realize how little you really need to live well, happy…and clutter-free.

Keep It Simple

One of the best ways to keep your space clutter free is to simplify your life. Reducing the number of things you do will translate to having less stuff in your home, garage and office space. You might have a dozen interests, but do you really have the time and energy to devote yourself to them in a way that feels fulfilling?

To simplify your life, choose no more than three interests to focus on at a time. If you love doing crafts but find that you no longer make the time for oil painting, declutter those painting supplies. Keep the items you need to pursue your interests and engage in your favorite hobbies. Donate all of the other stuff. Then, create rooms or designate spaces in your home for you to do those activities.

Keep It Minimal

There are different ways to practice minimalism. Quantity is the first way. Commit to having just one of the essentials. You don’t need four different kinds of spatulas or an extra can opener or half a dozen paring knives. Unless you have a large family, just one is sufficient. 

Another way to live more minimally is to only have the things you use daily or regularly in your space. For example, a bookish person might like to have copies of all of the books they’ve ever read or plan to read in their home library. But will they ever reread them or lend them to others? Most books can be borrowed from the library or downloaded from an app. 

I keep physical copies of certain books that I reference often for my business or like to read daily and re-read every year. Examples of this are my feng shui and Reiki books, my Bible, rare books, classics, books by favorite authors, books I use as oracles like Know the Truth and a few paperbacks for when I don’t want to stare at a screen to read after writing on my laptop all day. Sometimes, I will buy books at my local thrift store or library book sale and then give them back if I don’t plan to reference or read them again.

Keep It Neat

One of the signs you have too much stuff is when you find that keeping your items neat within the space you have becomes impossible. There’s just not enough space for everything. Instead of decluttering, people tend to shop for storage solutions like metal shelving units and plastic totes, so they can store even more stuff. Instead of shelving and containing things in totes for long term storage, reconsider whether it’s worth keeping at all. If you can’t keep your belongings neat and tidy within the space you have, it’s time to declutter.

Keep It Up

To keep up on decluttering, I recommend going through your belongings quarterly. At the beginning of each new season, go through your clothing, seasonal decor and anything else you’ve been given or have brought into your space. Create the space in your home for the things you’re inviting into your life. And let go of all the miscellaneous and unnecessary stuff taking up space in your home.

One of things you can do to keep up with your decluttering practice is to keep a plastic tote, cardboard box or reusable bag in a closet. As you find things you don’t need anymore, place them in the donate box or bag. Then, when it’s full, you can put it in your car and take it to your local thrift store.

In the comments below, share what you do or plan to do to keep up with the clutter!

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